Mealy-mouthed warm and fuzzy

[msmemory_archive]

Yesterday was hooprolling at Wellesley. The Globe as usual carried photos of the start of the race and the dripping winner emerging from Lake Waban. Caption "...Originally, the winner of the contest was said to be the first in her class to marry. These days, victory is seen as a sign that the winner will be the first to achieve success, however she defines it."

Ugh. "success however she defines it." I liked the saying when I was there, that the winner would be the first CEO from her class. This self-definition thing is more wimpy wording, along with "first-year students" and similar circumlocutions that have sprung up on campus in a foolish effort to make everybody feel wonderful all the time in a place free of any kind of sexism. Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the students are above average.

Comments

[keshwyn]

I used to end my emails to my parents with,

"That's the news from Lake Waban, where all the women are strong, all the women are good looking, and all the women are above average."

It's been the "success" thing since my hoop-rolling, at least.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I agree with you.

Although this doesn't bother me half as much as the occasional article (usually about the Boston Marathon) which calls the students "co-eds." At Wellesley, the "co-eds" are the males.

[rosinavs.livejournal.com]

Considering that the majority of college degrees go to women now, the males are the co-eds everywhere.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Well, all these students ARE above average. :-)

Not everyone wants to be married, or wants to be a CEO. Why turn a victory into a curse? :-)

"first in her class to be a CEO"

[bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I looked at Wellesley in the 1980s to go to school there. Not my kind of place. Maybe it's changed, if success is no longer defined as "being a CEO".

Re: "first in her class to be a CEO"

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed Wellesley very much, and I'm not the CEO type.

[marysdress.livejournal.com]

Oh but now... Consider the class notes section of the alumnae magazine if it's anything like mine. Success is defined by being a CEO or saving the world in a high powered role at a non-profit. Popping out a baby is also noteworthy or getting married, but primarily as a side note to your career. Not clear if volunteer activities count unless you're once again running them and they're high powered.

I felt for the woman who wrote into the 5th? 10th? reunion booklet that she almost skipped putting in an entry at all because all she'd done with her French degree was to read Madelaine to her children in French. That was years ago, but it stuck with me.

So while I agree that it's mealy mouthed, I think it's also not a bad thing. Just needs refining.